Chapter 34
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"Cass, do you want to celebrate Christmas with me?"
I looked at him stupefied. Christmas? With me? Has he no family?
"Aren't you going to celebrate with your family? Your parents?"
His lips formed a thin line. "Uhm, my parents died three years ago from a plane crash. So that's a no for me."
"I'm sorry, Minho. I didn't know."
"I know, it's alright. I've come to terms with it. So are you okay with my proposal?"
"Hmm, won't Gina's family look for you? You're a part of their family too."
"Naaah. Every Christmas, they go to Switzerland. I went with them once, but I felt sad remembering my own parents. So for the next years, I spent it alone."
We were silent for a little while. How nice would it be to spend Christmas with your whole family.
"So how about you Cass? It's okay if you don't like it. Maybe you have plans with your family too?"
A tear slipped out of my eyes. I missed my mom so much.
Minho slightly panicked seeing that tear. He frantically wiped it off my face. "Hey Cass. I'm sorry for asking. If you don't want to tell me about it, I won't force you."
"No. I think you should know. Will you listen to me?"
I have never opened this story of mine to anyone, except Ethan. But I trust Minho too, and he deserves to know.
Minho nodded.
"I was an illegitimate child. At first, we were took in by my father since his wife couldn't bear him a child. A year after, my father took another woman in and she bore him a son. The woman died after birth, and the wife took the baby in. Since boys are favored, we were kicked out of the house. I was 6 years old back then. Since that time, we lived in the outskirts of town to hide because father's wife has been threatening us."
I looked out of the window. City lights are a pretty thing to look at, in the midst of the dark night. I realized Minho was holding my hand. I squeezed his hand back before continuing.
"We lived a normal life. My mom doing all the work to provide for me. I did some menial jobs too, selling sweets at school or making my classmates' assignment in exchange for food or money. When I reached high school, I received a scholarship from a prestigious school at the capital. I didn't know that I would see my father there. I saw him towards the end of the year during a school event wherein he was a guest speaker."
"I don't why, but my father's wife is hellbent on making our lives miserable. She made the school take back my scolarship. Rich people and their rich ways." I scoffed at that. "But it was my dream to be in that school and my mom knew about it. So she went and begged them. I didn't know she would do that. But I decided that I will transfer school. I don't want trouble. What's important is I could finish school. I talked to my mom about it, and told her I'd just work here and save for my education. But she said she'll look for another way."
I dropped my head, tears streaming down one after the other. "I called her many times before going home for Christmas, but she never answered. Then someone answered, a neighbor. She said Mom was sent to the hospital. I immediately went to that hospital. My mom was on the ICU. But she talked to me before passing away, some promises and motivation to continue on. She said sorry to me. What saddened me more is because my mom died due to overwork, for me."
Minho hugged me. I was crying on his shoulder. For a time, we were like that.
After a few minutes, I stopped crying, "Minho, thank you. Every Christmas time, I would cry. It's nice to have someone to talk to during these times."
"You never had someone to talk about it?"
"Once." Ethan. "But we're not close now."
"Hmmm. Are you okay now? What do you want to do?"
I wiped my face with my hands and saw his shirt. "Oh Minho. I'm sorry. Your shirt's all wet."
"That's okay. But, Cass. Life has been so hard on you during your childhood."
"Yeah. But I guess, I have accepted it. It's just that, I get lonely when I see families enjoying their time with each other. I never had thay much experience of a happy family."
"Then, celebrate Christmas with me. I'll make it warm, and happy and fun! I'll be your family! We'll be a family to each other."
"Well, I guess I will. Will it be alright with you?"
"Of course. If it's to make you happy."
I smiled. "Minho."
He looked at me seriously. "What is it?"
"Nothing." And I hugged him. "So, where are we going for Christmas?"
"I have a rest house in a mountain near here. Are you up for hiking?"
I looked at him, gleaming. "Yes yes yes! Are we going now?"
Minho laughed. "Not yet. I still have something to take care of at the company. On the 20th we will go."
I bounced on the couch. "Minho, I'm so excited. Whoo whoo!"
He ruffled my hair. "Are you hungry?"
"We just ate Minho. Do you want me to get fat?"
"I feel I want to eat fries."
"Eh, Minho. I have them on the fridge. Will you cook them?"
"Hahaha. I know you can't say no to food."
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"Cass, do you want to celebrate Christmas with me?"
I looked at him stupefied. Christmas? With me? Has he no family?
"Aren't you going to celebrate with your family? Your parents?"
His lips formed a thin line. "Uhm, my parents died three years ago from a plane crash. So that's a no for me."
"I'm sorry, Minho. I didn't know."
"I know, it's alright. I've come to terms with it. So are you okay with my proposal?"
"Hmm, won't Gina's family look for you? You're a part of their family too."
"Naaah. Every Christmas, they go to Switzerland. I went with them once, but I felt sad remembering my own parents. So for the next years, I spent it alone."
We were silent for a little while. How nice would it be to spend Christmas with your whole family.
"So how about you Cass? It's okay if you don't like it. Maybe you have plans with your family too?"
A tear slipped out of my eyes. I missed my mom so much.
Minho slightly panicked seeing that tear. He frantically wiped it off my face. "Hey Cass. I'm sorry for asking. If you don't want to tell me about it, I won't force you."
"No. I think you should know. Will you listen to me?"
I have never opened this story of mine to anyone, except Ethan. But I trust Minho too, and he deserves to know.
Minho nodded.
"I was an illegitimate child. At first, we were took in by my father since his wife couldn't bear him a child. A year after, my father took another woman in and she bore him a son. The woman died after birth, and the wife took the baby in. Since boys are favored, we were kicked out of the house. I was 6 years old back then. Since that time, we lived in the outskirts of town to hide because father's wife has been threatening us."
I looked out of the window. City lights are a pretty thing to look at, in the midst of the dark night. I realized Minho was holding my hand. I squeezed his hand back before continuing.
"We lived a normal life. My mom doing all the work to provide for me. I did some menial jobs too, selling sweets at school or making my classmates' assignment in exchange for food or money. When I reached high school, I received a scholarship from a prestigious school at the capital. I didn't know that I would see my father there. I saw him towards the end of the year during a school event wherein he was a guest speaker."
"I don't why, but my father's wife is hellbent on making our lives miserable. She made the school take back my scolarship. Rich people and their rich ways." I scoffed at that. "But it was my dream to be in that school and my mom knew about it. So she went and begged them. I didn't know she would do that. But I decided that I will transfer school. I don't want trouble. What's important is I could finish school. I talked to my mom about it, and told her I'd just work here and save for my education. But she said she'll look for another way."
I dropped my head, tears streaming down one after the other. "I called her many times before going home for Christmas, but she never answered. Then someone answered, a neighbor. She said Mom was sent to the hospital. I immediately went to that hospital. My mom was on the ICU. But she talked to me before passing away, some promises and motivation to continue on. She said sorry to me. What saddened me more is because my mom died due to overwork, for me."
Minho hugged me. I was crying on his shoulder. For a time, we were like that.
After a few minutes, I stopped crying, "Minho, thank you. Every Christmas time, I would cry. It's nice to have someone to talk to during these times."
"You never had someone to talk about it?"
"Once." Ethan. "But we're not close now."
"Hmmm. Are you okay now? What do you want to do?"
I wiped my face with my hands and saw his shirt. "Oh Minho. I'm sorry. Your shirt's all wet."
"That's okay. But, Cass. Life has been so hard on you during your childhood."
"Yeah. But I guess, I have accepted it. It's just that, I get lonely when I see families enjoying their time with each other. I never had thay much experience of a happy family."
"Then, celebrate Christmas with me. I'll make it warm, and happy and fun! I'll be your family! We'll be a family to each other."
"Well, I guess I will. Will it be alright with you?"
"Of course. If it's to make you happy."
I smiled. "Minho."
He looked at me seriously. "What is it?"
"Nothing." And I hugged him. "So, where are we going for Christmas?"
"I have a rest house in a mountain near here. Are you up for hiking?"
I looked at him, gleaming. "Yes yes yes! Are we going now?"
Minho laughed. "Not yet. I still have something to take care of at the company. On the 20th we will go."
I bounced on the couch. "Minho, I'm so excited. Whoo whoo!"
He ruffled my hair. "Are you hungry?"
"We just ate Minho. Do you want me to get fat?"
"I feel I want to eat fries."
"Eh, Minho. I have them on the fridge. Will you cook them?"
"Hahaha. I know you can't say no to food."
"Cass, do you want to celebrate Christmas with me?" I looked at him stupefied. Christmas? With me? Has he no family? "Aren't you going to celebrate with your family? Your parents?" His lips formed a thin line. "Uhm, my parents died three years ago from a plane crash. So that's a no for me." "I'm sorry, Minho. I didn't know." "I know, it's alright. I've come to terms with it. So are you okay with my proposal?" "Hmm, won't Gina's family look for you? You're a part of their family too." "Naaah. Every Christmas, they go to Switzerland. I went with them once, but I felt sad remembering my own parents. So for the next years, I spent it alone." We were silent for a little while. How nice would it be to spend Christmas with your whole family. "So how about you Cass? It's okay if you don't like it. Maybe you have plans with your family too?" A tear slipped out of my eyes. I missed my mom so much. Minho slightly panicked seeing that tear. He frantically wiped it off my face. "Hey Cass. I'm sorry for asking. If you don't want to tell me about it, I won't force you." "No. I think you should know. Will you listen to me?" I have never opened this story of mine to anyone, except Ethan. But I trust Minho too, and he deserves to know. Minho nodded. "I was an illegitimate child. At first, we were took in by my father since his wife couldn't bear him a child. A year after, my father took another woman in and she bore him a son. The woman died after birth, and the wife took the baby in. Since boys are favored, we were kicked out of the house. I was 6 years old back then. Since that time, we lived in the outskirts of town to hide because father's wife has been threatening us." I looked out of the window. City lights are a pretty thing to look at, in the midst of the dark night. I realized Minho was holding my hand. I squeezed his hand back before continuing. "We lived a normal life. My mom doing all the work to provide for me. I did some menial jobs too, selling sweets at school or making my classmates' assignment in exchange for food or money. When I reached high school, I received a scholarship from a prestigious school at the capital. I didn't know that I would see my father there. I saw him towards the end of the year during a school event wherein he was a guest speaker." "I don't why, but my father's wife is hellbent on making our lives miserable. She made the school take back my scolarship. Rich people and their rich ways." I scoffed at that. "But it was my dream to be in that school and my mom knew about it. So she went and begged them. I didn't know she would do that. But I decided that I will transfer school. I don't want trouble. What's important is I could finish school. I talked to my mom about it, and told her I'd just work here and save for my education. But she said she'll look for another way." I dropped my head, tears streaming down one after the other. "I called her many times before going home for Christmas, but she never answered. Then someone answered, a neighbor. She said Mom was sent to the hospital. I immediately went to that hospital. My mom was on the ICU. But she talked to me before passing away, some promises and motivation to continue on. She said sorry to me. What saddened me more is because my mom died due to overwork, for me." Minho hugged me. I was crying on his shoulder. For a time, we were like that. After a few minutes, I stopped crying, "Minho, thank you. Every Christmas time, I would cry. It's nice to have someone to talk to during these times." "You never had someone to talk about it?" "Once." Ethan. "But we're not close now." "Hmmm. Are you okay now? What do you want to do?" I wiped my face with my hands and saw his shirt. "Oh Minho. I'm sorry. Your shirt's all wet." "That's okay. But, Cass. Life has been so hard on you during your childhood." "Yeah. But I guess, I have accepted it. It's just that, I get lonely when I see families enjoying their time with each other. I never had thay much experience of a happy family." "Then, celebrate Christmas with me. I'll make it warm, and happy and fun! I'll be your family! We'll be a family to each other." "Well, I guess I will. Will it be alright with you?" "Of course. If it's to make you happy." I smiled. "Minho." He looked at me seriously. "What is it?" "Nothing." And I hugged him. "So, where are we going for Christmas?" "I have a rest house in a mountain near here. Are you up for hiking?" I looked at him, gleaming. "Yes yes yes! Are we going now?" Minho laughed. "Not yet. I still have something to take care of at the company. On the 20th we will go." I bounced on the couch. "Minho, I'm so excited. Whoo whoo!" He ruffled my hair. "Are you hungry?" "We just ate Minho. Do you want me to get fat?" "I feel I want to eat fries." "Eh, Minho. I have them on the fridge. Will you cook them?" "Hahaha. I know you can't say no to food."
